Catalyst composition for removing noxious components from a gaseous stream

ABSTRACT

A highly active, stable and sulfur-resistant catalyst composition useful for substantially reducing the amount of carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons, nitrogen oxide and other noxious components in a gaseous stream is provided. Said catalyst composition comprises a specific refractory support material selected from the group consisting of (1) an alumina having a particle density of from about 0.3 to about 1.5 g/cc, a packed density of from about 0.2 to about 0.8 g/cc and a surface area of from about 10 to about 300 m2/g and (2) a monolithic ceramic having an external surface area of from about 100 to about 900 ft2/ft3, a bulk density of from about 10 to about 50 lb/ft3 and from about 2 to about 500 channels per square inch, said refractory support material having deposited thereon from about 0.01 to about 10 weight percent palladium and from about 0.05 to about 20 weight percent metal selected from the group consisting of rare earth, iron, manganese and zinc. The catalyst composition of this invention is effective at lower catalyst bed temperatures than other similar compositions, thus making it valuable when said gaseous stream is the exhaust effluent of an internal combustion engine during low-temperature operation, e.g. engine start-up. The catalyst composition also has excellent stability to aging in internal combustion engine exhaust effluent, even when the fuel to said engine contains up to 1000 ppm sulfur.

United States Patent [1 1 Oleck et al.

[4 Feb. 18, 1975 CATALYST COMPOSITION FOR REMOVING NOXIOUS COMPONENTS FROM A GASEOUS STREAM [75] Inventors: Stephen M. oleck Moorestown;

William A. Stover, Woodbury, both of NJ.

[73] Assignee: Mobil Oil Corporation, New York,

22 Filed: Aug. 24, 1972 21 App]. No.: 283,593

Primary Examiner-C. Dces Attorney, Agent, or FirmCharles A. Huggett; Raymond W. Barclay; Dennis P. Santini [57] ABSTRACT A highly active, stable and sulfur-resistant catalyst composition useful for substantially reducing the amount of carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons, nitrogen oxide and other noxious components in a gaseous stream is provided. Said catalyst composition comprises a specific refractory support material selected from the group consisting of (1) an alumina having a particle density of from about 0.3 to about 1.5 g/cc, a packed density of fromv about 0.2 to about 0.8 g/cc and a surface area of from about 10 to about 300 m /g and (2) a monolithic ceramic having an external surface area of from about 100 to about 900 ft /ft a bulk density of from about 10 to about 50 lb/ft and from about 2 to about 500 channels per square inch, said refractory support material having deposited thereon from about 0.01 to about 10 weight percent palladium and from about 0.05 to about 20 weight percent metal selected from the group consisting of rare earth, iron, manganese and zinc. The catalyst composition of this invention is effective at lower catalyst bed temperatures than other similar compositions, thus making it valuable when said gaseous stream is the exhaust effluent of an internal combustion engine during low-temperature operation, e.g. en-' gine startup. The catalyst composition also has excellent stability to aging in internal combustion engine exhaust effluent, even when the fuel to said engine contains up to 1000 ppm sulfur.

17 Claims, N0 Drawings CATALYST COMPOSITION FOR REMOVING NOXIOUS COMPONENTS FROM A GASEOUS STREAM BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field Of The Invention This invention relates to a novel oxidation catalyst composition. Moreover, it relates to a novel method of use of said catalyst composition for substantially reducing the amount of noxious components entrained in a gaseous stream such as carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxide, hydrocarbons and combustible non-hydrocarbons. Further, and more particular, it relates to the above method for reducing the amount of said noxious components in the exhaust effluent of an internal combustion engine.

2. Discussion Of The Prior Art With the advent of the field of ecology in more recent times there has been an increasing emphasis upon the purification of automobile engine exhausts. Specifically, some of the components of such exhaust systems which are most odious or intolerable are entrained carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons and nitrogen oxide. It has long been desired to prepare a catalyst system useful in an automobile exhaust system which will convert entrained hydrocarbons to less noxious components. To this end many systems have been prepared, most of which involve an inorganic oxide reactant supported on an inorganic oxide support. To date, no really commercial exhaust catalyst composition or system has been provided which will not only oxidize the carbon monoxide, but enable the reduction of the noxious hydrocarbons, combustible non-hydrocarbons and nitrogen oxide entrained in the exhaust gases to acceptable levels. To be commercially attractive as an automobile exhaust gas catalyst, said catalyst must be highly active, with activity at low operating temperature, stable to aging and resistant to sulfur which may be introduced to the catalyst via the automobile engine fuel.

Specifically, various catalyst systems have been proposed. U.S. Pat. No. 3,428,573 discloses the use of a copper oxide-platinum catalyst supported upon clay and an alumina gel all combined with a form of crystalline alumina. US. Pat. No. 3,072,458 discloses the use of platinum and copper on a support material, for instance, alumina. U.S. Pat. No. 3,503,715 discloses the use of an exhaust catalyst system of two beds. The first bed comprises platinum on alumina treated with an alkaline metal. The second bed comprises platinum on alumina. US. Pat. No. 3,637,344 teaches a method of exhaust gas treatment comprising high temperature, e.g. in excess of 500F, contact with a catalyst comprised of alumina impregnated with both ruthenium and iridium. Other patents in this field include US. Pat. Nos. 3,540,838 and 3,409,920; British Pat. Nos. 1,009,609; 942,841 and 1,304,621 and others. None of these provides the specific catalyst composition which gives the low temperature, e.g. about 300F, results in terms of reducing the amount of carbon monoxide, noxious hydrocarbons, combustible non-hydrocarbons and nitrogen oxide as the present invention. None of these provides a catalyst composition with the low temperature activity, stability and sulfur-resistence as the present invention.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION This invention, broadly, relates to a highly active, stable, sulfur-resistant catalyst composition comprising a specific refractory support material selected from the group consisting of an alumina having a particle density of from about 0.3 to about 1.5 g/cc, a packed density of from about 0.2 to about 0.8 g/cc and a surface area of from about 10 to about 300 m lg and a monolithic ceramic having an external surface area of from about to about 900 ft /ft a bulk density of from about 10 to about 50 lb/ft and from about 2 to about 500 channels per square inch, said support having deposited thereon from about 0.01 to about 10 weight percent palladium and from about 0.05 to about 20 weight percent metal selected from the group consisting of rare earth, iron, manganese and zinc, and to a method of using such a catalyst composition to reduce the noxious component content of a gaseous stream by passing said gaseous stream over said catalyst composition.

DISCUSSION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a highly active, stable and sulfur-resistant catalyst composition for substantially reducing the amount of noxious components, i.e. carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxide, hydrocarbons and combustible nonhydrocarbons, in a gaseous stream. Said catalyst composition comprises a specific refractory support material selected from the group consisting of an alumina having a particle density of from about 0.3 to about 1.5 g/cc, a packed density of from about 0.2 to about 0.8 g/cc and a surface area of from about 10 to about 300 m /g, such as, for example, low density pseudoboehmite alumina spheres, and a monolithic ceramic having an external surface area of from about 100 to about 900 ft /ft a bulk density of from about 10 to about 50 lb/ft and from about 2 to about 500 channels per square inch, said support having deposited thereon from about 0.01 to about 10 weight percent palladium and from about 0.05 to about 20 weight percent metal, such as, for example, in the form of an oxide, selected from the group consisting of rare earth, iron, manganese and zinc. The alumina preferablyhas a particle density of from about 0.6 to about 1.0 g/cc, a packed density of from about 0.40 to about 0.65 g/cc and a surface area of from about 100 to about 300 m /g. The monolithic ceramic preferably has an external surface area of from about to about 850 ft lft a bulk density of from about 15 to about 45 lb/ft and from about 4 to about 300 channels per square inch. The palladium deposited on said support material may be present in the preferable amounts of about 0.05 to about 5 weight percent, and the other metals selected from the group consisting of rare earth, iron, manganese and zinc in the preferable amounts of from about 1 to about 15 weight percent, either singly or in combination with one another.

The monolithic ceramic support material may or may not be alumina. Monolithic ceramic materials useful in the catalyst composition of this invention include, as non-limiting examples, alumina, mullite, cordierite and combinations thereof with one another. When the monolithic ceramic material is not alumina, an amount of alumina may, if desired, be deposited on said material in the amount of from about 1 to about 50 weight percent and more preferably in the amount of from about 5 to about 20 weight percent.

Further physical properties of the monolithic ceramic materials useful in the catalyst composition of this invention include the following:

Also, the shape of the channels of the monolithic ceramic material may be one or more of various geometric shapes, such as, for example, sinusoidal, square, round, hexagonal, elliptical, parabolical, hyperbolical, rectangular, triangular, cycloidal and hydrocycloidal.

The alumina support material for use in the present invention is of relatively low density and may, as an embodiment, have characteristics of a pseudoboehmitic alumina. Characteristics of a pseudoboehmitic alumina component of the catalyst of this invention are a low Na O content, e.g. as low as 0.03 percent by weight and lower; a surface area of from about 200 to about 300 m /g; and having a significant portion of the total pore volume being constituted by pores within the size range of 120 to 800 Angstrom units. Also, as an embodiment of an alumina for use in the catalyst composition of this invention, that described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,630,670 may be used.

The present invention is particularly useful for decreasing the amount of noxious components, i.e. carbon monoxide, low molecular weight hydrocarbons, nitrogen oxide and combustible non-hydrocarbons in internal combustion engine exhaust effluent streams during start-up of an automobile or other internal combustion engine. The catalyst of this invention has particularly valuable application when the temperature of the engine exhaust gas and catalyst bed are low and the potential of combustible discharge into the atmosphere is high. At low temperatures, it is difficult to convert carbon monoxide and noxious hydrocarbons to their oxidation products. it has been found by testing prior art type catalysts for automobile exhaust systems that during start-up, the most harmful amounts of carbon monoxide and unreacted noxious hydrocarbons are emitted to the air. Existing catalysts have failed to adequately deal with the problem of emission control during engine start-up. The catalyst system of the present invention provides low temperature emission control of combustibles in the exhaust gas and substantially complete overall carbon monoxide and noxious hydrocarbon oxidation at low temperatures.

Also, it has been found that many prior art type catalysts for automobile exhaust systems age rather rapidly, thus proving commercially unattractive. This aging problem is magnified to great extent for many of said prior art type catalysts when the fuel to the internal combustion engine providing the exhaust effluent to be in contact with the oxidation catalyst contains sulfur. The catalyst of the present invention has remarkable aging properties whether or not the internal combustion engine is fed with sulfur-containing fuel.

The palladium and rare earth, manganese. iron or line may or may not be codeposited on the refractory support material for the present catalyst to be effective. The palladium may first be deposited on the support followed by deposition of rare earth, iron, manganese and/or zinc or vice versa. Preferably, however, the rare earth, iron, manganese and/or zinc may be deposited prior to calcination which is then followed by deposition of palladium by itself.

When the metal component, i.e. rare earth, manganese, iron or zinc, is provided for deposition in the form of an oxide, it is preferred that the source of such metal oxide be the nitrate solution of said metal. Therefore, a source of cerous oxide is preferably cerous nitrate as opposed to being, for example, the chloride of cerium. Other sources of said metal oxide for use in preparing the catalyst composition of the present invention may be, for example, neodymium nitrate, ferric nitrate. manganous nitrate, zinc nitrate and combinations thereof.

In example of this preferability, the Cold Start Screening Test described hereinafter was employed to measure carbon monoxide conversion at furnace temperatures as listed below over two catalysts. Catalyst A was a catalyst prepared according to hereinafter set forth Example 3 with 0.2 weight percent palladium and 4 weight percent rare earth oxide. Catalyst 8 was-the same catalyst prepared by using rare earth chloride as the source of rare earth oxide.

Catalyst A B Furnace Temp., F Co Conversion, Volume EXAMPLE 1 (0.5 Weight Percent Palladium, 4 Weight Percent Rare Earth Oxides) One hundred grams of low density alumina spheres having the following analysis:

3.6% loss on ignition 14.9 pounds (force) crush strength 259 m g surface area (BET) 0.0% wt on 5 mesh 29.1% wt on 6 mesh 99.7% wt on 8 mesh 0.52 g/cc bulk density were placed in a one-pint jar. The spheres were then impregnated to incipient wetness with 98 ml solution containing 10.6 grams rare earth nitrate hexahydrate, containing about 37.7 weight percent RE O and having a composition as follows:

wt. l.a 24 (0 0 43 Pr O 5 Ndzon l 7 sm,o, 3 I 011 0;, 2

Other 0.8

The impregnated spheres were oven-dried at 250F and calcined in a shallow dish in a muffle furnace for 4 hours at l850F. The calcined spheres were then impregnated to incipient wetness with 80 ml of an 8.5 pH

palladium solution prepared by diluting 5.0 ml ofa 0.1 5

gram palladium per ml solution of palladium nitrate to 70 ml with water, adding 80 drops of concentrated (28% NH OH) ammonium hydroxide solution and adding more water to 80 ml total volume. This was then oven-dried at 250F and muffle-calcined for 3 hours at 1400F in flowing air. The product had a packed density of 0.52 g/cc and a crush strength of8 pounds (averaged for pellets).

EXAMPLE 2 (0.35 Weight Percent Palladium, 4 Weight Percent Rare Earth Oxides) One hundred grams of the alumina spheres of Example l were impregnated with rare earth nitrate solution, dried and calcined in the same manner as that in Example 1. They were then impregnated with 80 ml of 8.5 pH palladium solution prepared by diluting 3.5 ml of a 0.1 gram palladium per ml solution of palladium nitrate 25 to 70 ml, adding 48 drops of concentrated 28% NH OH solution and diluting to 80 ml with water. The product was oven-dried at 250F and calcined for 3 hours at l400F in flowing air.

EXAMPLE 3 (0.2 Weight Percent Palladium, 4 Weight Percent Rare Earth Oxides) Five hundred grams of the alumina spheres of Example l were impregnated with 490 ml of solution containing 53 grams of rare earth nitrate hexahydrate of Example I, oven-dried at 250F, and calcined 4 hours at 1850F in shallow dishes in a muffle furnace. The

product was then impregnated with 400 ml of solution prepared by diluting 10 ml of a 0.1 g Pd/ml solution of palladium nitrate to 373 ml, adding NH OH to 8.5 pH, and diluting to 400 ml with water. The product was ovendried at 250F and calcined for three hours at 1400F in flowing air in a muffle furnace. The product composition had a particle density of 0.87 g/cc, a packed density of 0.52 g/cc, a surface area of 92 m lg and a crush strength of 8 pounds average.

6 EXAMPLE 4 (0.1 Weight Percent Palladium, 4 Weight Percent Rare Earth Oxides) One hundred grams of the alumina spheres of Example l were impregnated with rare earth nitrate solution, oven-dried and calcined at 1850F by the same procedure as Example 1. The product was impregnated with 8.5 pH palladium nitrate solution to 0.1% wt. palladium, oven-dried at 250F and calcined for 3 hours at 1400F in the flowing air in a muffle furnace.

EXAMPLE 5 (0.05 Weight Percent Palladium, 4 Weight Percent Rare Earth Oxides) Cold Stan (Quartz Reactor) Screening Test Gas Composition Carbon monoxide 2.0 vol.% Oxygen 4.5 do. Carbon dioxide 10.0 do. Water do. Hydrocarbons 350 ppm Nitrogen oxides 300 ppm Nitrogen & other Remainder exhaust components,

i.e. hydrogen,

aldchydes. oxygenated hydrocarbons, in minor amounts.

Test Conditions 7 Catalyst volume 10.0 cc Gas flow rate 3.3 liters/minute Nominal space velocity 20,000 hr-l Held steady about 20 min. at 50F intervals between about and 550F for measurement of CO and HC conversions.

Furnace tem perature The results of the Cold Start Screening Test are shown in the following tabulation:

TABLE I COLD START SCREENING RESULTS Example 1 2 3 4 5 Palladium Conv. Conv. Conv. Conv. Conv. Conv. Conv. Conv. Conv. Conv. Furnace 7: 7r 7( 7: 7c 7: Temp. F CO Hydrocarbon CO Hydrocarbon CO Hydrocarbon CO Hydrocarbon CO Hydrocarbon dium in the catalyst composition- Each composition contains 4 weight percent rare earth as an oxide.

EXAMPLE 6 (0.2 Weight Percent Palladium, 4 Weight Percent Cerous Oxide) One hundred grams of the alumina spheres of Example 1 were impregnated with 98 m1 of solution containing 10.6 grams cerous nitrate hexahydrate, oven-dried at 250F and calcined in a muffle furnace for four hours at 1850F. The calcined spheres were then impregnated to incipient wetness with 80 ml of an 8.5 pH palladium solution prepared by diluting 2.0 ml of a 0.1 gram palladium per ml solution of palladium nitrate to 70 ml with water, adding 36 drops of concentrated (28% NH OH) ammonium hydroxide solution and adding more water to 80 ml total volume. The product was then ovendried at 250F and muffle calcined for 3 hours at 1400F in flowing air. The product had a packed density of 0.53 g/cc and a crush strength of pounds (average for 25 pellets).

EXAMPLE 7 (0.2 Weight Percent Palladium, 4 Weight Percent Neodymium Oxide) The procedure for preparing this catalyst was identical to that for Example 6 with the exception that 10.6 grams of neodymium nitrate hexahydrate were used in lieu of cerous nitrate hexahydrate. The packed density was 0.50 g/cc and crush strength was 10 pounds (average for 25 pellets).

EXAMPLE 8 (0.2 Weight Percent Palladium, 4 Weight Percent Yttrium Oxide) One hundred grams of the alumina of Example 1 were placed in a jar and impregnated to incipient wetness with 98 ml solution containing 13.6 g yttrium nitrate hexahydrate. The impregnated alumina was then oven-dried at 250F and calcined in a shallow dish in a muffle furnace for 4 hours at 1850F. Then the calcined product was impregnated to incipient wetness with 80 ml of an 8.5 pH palladium solution prepared by diluting 2 ml ofa 0.1 g palladium per ml solution of palladium nitrate to 75 ml into water, adding 32 drops of concentrated (28% NH OH) ammonium hydroxide solution and diluting with water to 80 ml total volume. The product was then oven-dried at 250F and muffle calcined for 3 hours at 1400F in flowing air. The product catalyst had a packed density of 0.50 g/cc and a crush strength of 9 pounds average.

The catalyst compositions of Examples 6, 7 and 8 were tested in the manner of Examples 1-5 with the re- TABLE II EXAMPLE 9 (0.2 Weight Percent Palladium, 4 Weight Percent Rare Earth Oxides) One hundred grams of the low density alumina of Example I were placed in a one-pint jar and then impregnated to incipient wetness with 98 ml solution containing 10.6 grams rare earth nitrate hexahydrate of Example 1. The impregnated alumina was then oven-dried at 250F and calcined in a shallow dish in a muffle furnace for 4 hours at 1850F. Then the calcined alumina was impregnated to incipient wetness with 80 ml of an 8.5 pH palladium solution prepared by diluting 2 ml of a 0.1 gram palladium per ml solution of palladium nitrate to ml with water, adding about 36 drops of concentrated (28% NI-I OH) ammonium hydroxide solution and adding more water to ml total volume. The product was then oven-dried at 250F and mufflecalcined for 3 hours at I400F in flowing air. The product catalyst composition had a packed density of 0.52 g/cc and a crush strength of 1 1 pounds average.

A batch ofthe catalyst composition prepared according to Example 9 was tested in the above-defined Cold Start Screening Test along with two prior art type oxidation catalysts, i.e. platinum-impregnated alumina and extruded copper chromite-alumina, both prepared according to the procedures following Table III.

TABLE III COLD START SCREENING RESULTS Catalyst Copper Chrom ite- Platinum- PREPARATION OF EXTRUDED COPPER CHROMITE-ALUMINA Fifty seven pounds of water were mixed with 107 pounds of powdered alpha alumina monohydrate (80 lbs. dry basis) in a mixer. The mixture was discharged into containers which were then capped. The contain- COLD START SCREENING RESULTS ers were placed in a water bath with water temperatures maintained at 200F for 16 hours. The mixture was then recharged to the mixer and 20 pounds of copper chromite powder were added. Then a mixture of 1 pound polyvinyl alcohol and one pound carboxymethylcellulose were added to the mixture. The total mixture was then extruded to 1/16 inch diameter, dried 16 hours at 250F in an oven drier and calcined in pots with air for 3 hours at 1400F. The product, after abrasion to round off edges had the following properties:

Packed density, g/cc 0.80 Particle density, g/cc 1.33 Crush strength, lb/inch 5S PREPARATION OF PLATINUM-IMPREGNATED ALUMINA Eleven hundred and thirty five grams of alumina spheres similar to those of Example 1 were soaked in kerosine for one hour, removed, drained and blotted dry to remove excess liquid. One hundred milliliters of chloroplatinic acid solution equivalent to 2.27 grams platinum were sprayed onto the spheres uniformly. They were stream stripped to remove kerosine and fi nally calcined for 3 hours at 1400F.

A bath of the catalyst composition prepared according to Example 9 was tested in the above-defined Cold Start Screening Test to investigate the effect of using fuel for the engine containing sulfur. The following tabulation of data generated by said test shows that fuel having a high sulfur content does not inhibit the activity of the catalyst composition of Example 9.

TABLE IV COLD START SCREENING TEST Another batch of the catalyst composition prepared according to Example 9 was subjected to the abovedefined Cold Start Screening Test to determine stability to aging with fuels containing high levels of sulfur. Since 1000 ppm sulfur is about maximum for automobile fuels marketed in the United States at this time, that is the amount examined as a high level. Along with the catalyst composition of Example 9, the prior art type oxidation catalyst extruded copper chromitealumina prepared according to the above example was also tested. The following tabulation of data generated by this test indicates that the catalyst composition of Example 9 does not significantly change after 5000 miles of operation with fuel of or 1000 ppm sulfur. However, the prior art catalyst is seriously affected by sulfur in the fuel.

TABLE v COLD START ACTIVITY TEST AFTER 5000 MILES SIMULATED AGING WITH FUELS CONTAINING 20 Ferric Oxide) One hundred grams of the low-density alumina of Example l were placed in a jar and coimpregnated to incipient wetness with 98 ml solution containing 65 grams ferric nitrate 0.9 H 0 and 2.1 ml of 0.1 g palladium per ml solution of palladium nitrate. The coimpregnated alumina was then oven-dried at 250F. and calcined in flowing air for 3 hours at l400F.

EXAMPLE II (0.2 Weight Percent Palladium, 12 Weight Percent Manganous Oxide) One hundred grams of the low-density alumina of Example l were placed in a jar and coimpregnated to incipient wetness with 98 ml solution containing 52.9 grams of 50 manganous nitrate solution and 2.1 ml of 0.1 g palladium per ml solution of palladium nitrate. The coimpregnated alumina was then oven-dried at 250F and calcined in flowing air for 3 hours at I400F. The product catalyst composition had a packed density of 0.51 g/cc.

EXAMPLE 12 (0.2 Weight Percent Palladium, 4 Weight Percent Zinc Oxide) One hundred grams of the alumina spheres of Example l were impregnated with 98 ml solution containing 7.3 grams zinc nitrate hexahydrate and 0.20 grams palladium from palladium nitrate solution. The impregnated spheres were oven-dried at 250F and then calcined with air flowing up through the bed in an electric furnace for 3 hours at 1400F.

EXAMPLE 13 (0.2 Weight Percent Palladium) One hundred grams of alumina spheres similar to those of Example 1 were impregnated to incipient wetness with 55 ml of a solution containing 0.20 grams palladium as palladium nitrate, ovendried at 250F and calcined for 3 hours at l400F in flowing air.

The catalyst compositions of Examples 10, ll, 12 and 13 were tested in the above-defined Cold Start Screening Test using the following gas composition and conditions:

Gas Compo n are located before and after the converter, and temper- CO 2 atures are recorded at the-inlet, outlet, and the catalyst 4 5 mid-bed locations. gti j 1 8 ppm 5 Catalyst samples are pre-conditioned for one hour at w) 40 MPH road load and 1.5 percent CO in an oxidizing N, remalnder Gas Flow Rate mar/mm atmosphere prior to the activity test. At the end of l hour, the exhaust gas is diverted around the converter (added by bmbling gas'hmugl and the catalyst is then cooled to 70F using com- The furnace temperature around the reactor containl0 Pressed r- Th ng n raw Xha t Conditions are ing the catalyst was lined out at 200F. The above gas maintained at 1.5 percent CO, 2.5 percent 0 1000 was flowed through the catalyst bed, the bed temperappm NO at 40 MPH p i y 35,200 ture (near bottom) was measured, and CO and propyand inlet temperatures of about 900F while in the lene conversions were determined. Furnace temperacooling mode. After the catalyst is cooled, the exhaust ture was raised in 50F increments and the ste regas is then routed back through the converter,and tempeated until CO conversion was high or a significant peratures and outlet emissions are recorded during the conclusion could be drawn from the results. The results catalyst warm-up period. Catalyst emission reduction in this test are shown below: efficiencies are then computed on the basis of the stabi- TABLE VI COLD START SCREENING RESULTS Catalyst Composition Example 10 Example ll Example l2 Example 13 Percent Conversion Furnace Temp..F CO Propylene CO Propylene CO Propylene CO Propylene 300 90 l8 99 97 I5 0 350 9s 99 l6 0 These results clearly show the promotional effect of lized input emission conditions and the catalyst outlet zinc, iron and manganese with palladium impregnated emissions versus time. on alumina as compared to palladium impregnated on alumina (Example 13). EXAMPLE 14 In illustrating the excellent effectiveness of the cata- (0.2 Weight Percent Palladium, 2 Weight Percent lyst compositions of this invention with respect to re- Silver Oxide) ducing the amount of nitrogen l i m a gaseous A quantity of alumina spheres of Example 1 was calfluent i the catalyst composltlo, of Example 3 cined in an electric furnace for 4 hours at l850F. A was supjected to the start screeflmg Test wlth the 40 five hundred gram portion was impregnated with 440 following gas composltlon and condmons: ml of palladium nitrate solution containing 1.0 grams Gas Component palladium and adjusted to 8.5 pH with 2. 6 ml concen- W 195 trated NH Ol-l. The product was oven-dried at 250F. Hydrocarbons, ppm 310 and calcined in an electric muffle furnace with air flow g gt g ing through the bed for 3 hours at lOOOF. The product (362, 3 10 was then impregnated with 440 ml of solution containsg g f y 22,000 hr PP ing 15 grams silver nitrate. It was overs-dried again at Furnace Temperature 600F 250 F and calcined three hours at 1400 F with air flow- The results of said test were as follows: ing through bed.

2'8 22;; Results of the Catalyst Warm-Up Test were as fol- Convcrsion of hydrocarbons 35% l0WS for:

In order to illustrate that catalyst compositions comi g -g prising metals other than rare earth, manganese, iron or p zinc are not as effective as the catalyst compositions of Conversion. the present invention for reducing the amount of car- Timc bon monoxide and noxious hydrocarbons in a gaseous Seconds Monoxldc Hydrocarbons stream, a Catalyst Warm-Up Activity Test, as described 9 69 below, was performed. The catalyst compositions used g? in the test for comparison purposes were (A) the cata- 0 36 lyst composition of Example 3, and (B) the catalyst 43 74 68 8l composition of Example 14, set forth hereinafter. 225 88 CATALYST WARM-UP ACTIVITY TEST lj 9 The test apparatus includes a cubic inch bifur- 5 5g 3g 1; cated converter located downstream of a poppet-type 40 53 26 diverting valve in the total exhaust system of a 351 cu- Z; 2? 2% bic-inch displacement engine. Exhaust gas sample taps 6| 65 44 -Continued Catalyst Composition of Example 3 Conversion,

Time Carbon Seconds Monoxide Hydrocarbons ple 14 did not attain over 76% CO conversion duringthe entire test.

A final specific example in illustration of-the catalyst composition of the present invention follows EXAMPLE 15 (0.35 Weight Percent Palladium, 4 Weight Percent Rare Earth Oxides) A piece of monolithic ceramic inch in diameter and 2 inches long was dipped into an alumina dispersion which was prepared by adding 6.0 grams of 70% HNO to 844 ml water, and adding 15 grams of powdered alpha alumina monohydrate to 85 ml of the acid solution. After the piece was dipped into the alumina solution, it was dried and held in a muffle furnace at 1000F for 1 hour. The procedure was repeated until the weight increase after 1000F calcination was 15 percent. The piece then was dipped into rare earth ni trate solution and calcined for 1 hour at 1000F. The procedure was repeated a total of four times until the weight increase was 4 percent. The piece was then calcined in a muffle furnace for 4 hours at 1850F, after which it was dipped into a palladium nitrate 8.5 pH so lution containing 0.0016 grams palladium per ml solution, and calcined for 1 hour at 1000F. The piece was weighed after each dip and after each calcining. The procedure was repeated 16 times until it was indicated 0.35% wt palladium was deposited. It was then calcined for 3 hours at l400F in a muffle furnace.

The catalyst composition of Example 15 was subjected to the Cold Start Screening Test used in evaluation of the compositions of Examples 1-5. However, the test evaluation reports gas inlet temperatures rather than furnace temperatures.

The results ofsuch test are compared in the following tabulation with those obtained for a piece of commercial platinum-impregnated monolithic ceramic support.

LII

TABLE VII COLD START SCREENING RESULTS Platinum-Monolithic Example 15 Ceramic Percent Conversion CO Hydrocarbon CO Hydrocarbon Catalyst Composition Gas Inlet Temp.,F

These results again clearly show the superiority of the catalyst composition of the present invention when compared to a readily available commercial catalyst of similar but different nature.

We claim:

l. A catalyst composition which comprises a refractory support material selected from the group consisting of (1) an alumina having a particle density of from about 0.3 to about 1.5 g/cc, a packed density of from about 0.2 to about 0.8 g/cc and a surface area of from about 10 to about 300 m /g and (2) a monolithic ceramic having an external surface area of from about to about 900 ft /ft a bulk density of from about 10 to about 50 lb/ft and from about 2 to about 500 channels per square inch, said refractory support material having deposited thereon from about 0.01 to about 10 weight percent palladium and from about 0.05 to about 20 weight percent of a metal selected from the group consisting of rare earth, iron, manganese and zinc.

2. A composition as defined in claim 1 wherein said support is pseudoboehmitic alumina.

3. A composition as defined in claim 1 wherein said support is alumina characterized by having a particle density of from about 0.6 to about 1.0 g/cc, a packed density of from about 0.4 to about 0.65 g/cc and a surface area of from about 100 to about 300 m /g.

4. A composition as defined in claim 1 wherein said support is a monolithic ceramic characterized by having an external surface area offrom about to about 850 ft /ft a bulk density of from about 15 to about 45 lb/ft and from about 4 to about 300 channels per square inch.

5. A composition as defined in claim 3 wherein said alumina has deposited thereon from about 0.05 to about 5 weight percent palladium and from about 1 to about 15 weight percent of a metal selected from the group consisting of rare earth, iron, manganese and zinc.

6. A composition as defined in claim 4 wherein said monolithic ceramic has deposited thereon from about 0.05 to about 5 weight percent palladium and from about 1 to about 15 weight percent of a metal selected from the group consisting of rare earth, iron, manganese and zinc.

7. A composition as defined in claim 2 wherein said alumina has a Na O content of less than about 0.3 percent by weight, a surface area of from about 200 to about 300 m /g and has a significant portion of its total pore volume being constituted by pores within the size range of 120 to800 Angstrom units.

8. A composition as defined in claim 1 wherein said metal is selected from the group consisting of lanthanum, cerium, praseodymium, neodymium, samarium, gadolinium, yttrium, iron, manganese, zinc and combinations thereof with one another.

9. A composition as defined in claim 5 wherein said metal is selected from the group consisting of lanthanum, cerium, praseodymium, neodymium, samarium, gadolinium, yttrium, iron, manganese, zinc and combinations thereof with one another.

10. A composition as defined in claim 6 wherein said metal is selected from the group consisting of lanthanum, cerium, praseodymium, neodymium, samarium, gadolinium, yttrium, iron, manganese, zinc and combisaid metal is yttrium.

UNITED sTATEs PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION PATENTNO.: 3,867,309

DATED February 18, 1975 ,NVENTOR(S) STEPHEN M. OLECK and WILLIAM A. sTovEE ET is certified that error appears in The abnve-id-szf=fied paient Ehai; said Letter: are hereby cmrected as shown below:

Column 1, line 57, "l,3O L,62l" should read --l,O3-I,62l-. Column 5, line #2, "373 should read "375.

Column 9 line 29, bath should read -batch-.

Column 12, line 59, BB should read -22--.

Column 13, line 2 L, follows should read -follows:-.

Signed and Scaled this twenty-second Day Of July 1975 [SEAL] A trest:

RUTH C. MASON C. MARSHALL DANN 3 Alresling Officw Commissioner of Parents and Trademarks 

1. A CATALYST COMPOSITION WHICH COMPRISES A REFRACTORY SUPPORT MATERIAL SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF (1) AN ALUMINA HAVING A PARTICLE DENSITY OF FROM ABOUT 0.3 TO ABOUT 1.5 G/CC, A PACKED DENSITY OF FROM ABOUT 0.2 TO ABOUT 0.8 GLCC AND A SURFACE AREA OF FROM ABOUT 10 TO ABOUT 300 M2/G AND (2) A MONOLITHIC CERAMIC HAVING AN EXTERNAL SURFACE AREA OF FROM ABOUT 100 TO ABOUT 900 FT2/FT3, A BULK DENSITY OF FROM ABOUT 10 TO ABOUT 50 LB/FT3 AND FROM ABOUT 2 TO ABOUT 500 CHANNELS PER SQUARE INCH, SAID REFRACTORY SUPPORT MATERIAL HAVING DEPOSITED THEREON FROM ABOUT 0.01 TO ABOUT 10 WEIGHT PERCENT PALLADIUM AND FROM ABOUT 0.05 TO ABOUT 20 WEIGHT PERCENT OF A METAL SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF RARE EARTH, IRON, MANGANESE AND ZINC.
 2. A composition as defined in claim 1 wherein said support is pseudoboehmitic alumina.
 3. A composition as defined in claim 1 wherein said support is alumina characterized by having a particle density of from about 0.6 to about 1.0 g/cc, a packed density of from about 0.4 to about 0.65 g/cc and a surface area of from about 100 to about 300 m2/g.
 4. A composition as defined in claim 1 wherein said support is a monolithic ceramic characterized by having an external surface area of from about 150 to about 850 ft2/ft3, a bulk density of from about 15 to about 45 lb/ft3 and from about 4 to about 300 channels per square inch.
 5. A composition as defined in claim 3 wherein said alumina has deposited thereon from about 0.05 to about 5 weight percent palladium and from about 1 to about 15 weight percent of a metal selected from the group consisting of rare earth, iron, manganese and zinc.
 6. A composition as defined in claim 4 wherein said monolithic ceramic has deposited thereon from about 0.05 to about 5 weight percent palladium and from about 1 to about 15 weight percent of a metal selected from the group consisting of rare earth, iron, manganese and zinc.
 7. A composition as defined in claim 2 wherein said alumina has a Na2O content of less than about 0.3 percent by weight, a surface area of from about 200 to about 300 m2/g and has a significant portion of its total pore volume being constituted bY pores within the size range of 120 to 800 Angstom units.
 8. A composition as defined in claim 1 wherein said metal is selected from the group consisting of lanthanum, cerium, praseodymium, neodymium, samarium, gadolinium, yttrium, iron, manganese, zinc and combinations thereof with one another.
 9. A composition as defined in claim 5 wherein said metal is selected from the group consisting of lanthanum, cerium, praseodymium, neodymium, samarium, gadolinium, yttrium, iron, manganese, zinc and combinations thereof with one another.
 10. A composition as defined in claim 6 wherein said metal is selected from the group consisting of lanthanum, cerium, praseodymium, neodymium, samarium, gadolinium, yttrium, iron, manganese, zinc and combinations thereof with one another.
 11. A composition as defined in claim 1 wherein said metal comprises a rare earth.
 12. A composition as defined in claim 1 wherein said metal is iron.
 13. A composition as defined in claim 1 wherein said metal is manganese.
 14. A composition as defined in claim 1 wherein said metal is zinc.
 15. A composition as defined in claim 11 wherein said metal is cerium.
 16. A composition as defined in claim 11 wherein said metal is neodymium.
 17. A composition as defined in claim 11 wherein said metal is yttrium. 